Crystal joined our Disability Employment Services (DES) in July 2022 with the dream of becoming a patient assistant in a hospital. Living with disability, she was seeking support to find employment in this field.

Her first application for her dream role was unsuccessful, which was disappointing. However, her Employment Consultant, Danika, continued to work closely with her during weekly appointments, helping her explore similar opportunities that could build her confidence and industry experience. Danika encouraged Crystal to broaden her perspective and empowered her to make her own choices about which roles to apply for. Over time, Crystal became open to considering roles outside of her original goal.

Through this process, Crystal discovered a passion for working with older people. Together, she and Danika explored a range of suitable roles and prepared strong applications. Danika supported her in writing her resume and cover letter, highlighting her practical and transferable skills, including those gained through volunteering at LifeBlood.

Crystal was also able to access additional support through DES, including career services from Dress for Success Adelaide and wellbeing support through BlueSky Mind Studio.

After applying to several companies, Crystal was successful in progressing to the next stage of the interview process with Kalyra Aged Care. Danika contacted the employer to reinforce Crystal’s enthusiasm, volunteering experience, and suitability for the role. With preparation and encouragement, Crystal completed the video interview confidently and was offered the job!

To begin her role, Crystal needed to complete Food Safety and First Aid training. Although she felt unsure at first, Danika supported her every step of the way, adding extra appointments to help Crystal complete the online components. Crystal was overjoyed when she proudly shared that she had achieved both certificates.

Now thriving in her new role, Crystal is building her confidence and skills each day. During a recent workplace visit, Danika saw how proudly Crystal swiped herself in and guided her through the facility with a big smile. Crystal is open to future career development and is continuing to grow her experience and capacity to support whichever path she chooses.

Through our Post Placement Support program, we will continue to stand beside Crystal, providing the guidance and encouragement she needs to keep thriving.

Congratulations Crystal – what an incredible achievement!

Last week, our Disability Employment Services (DES) Participants came together at Status Clarkson to celebrate World Elephant Day!

The event began with an exploration of the elephant’s symbolism in meditation highlighting traits such as majesty, steadiness, slow movement, and perseverance. These qualities mirror the meditative process of focusing on one step at a time with gentle, steady effort.

Following the exploration, Participants took part in a six-minute guided meditation focused on breathing, helping them find calm and relaxation.

To finish, attendees enjoyed mindful art activities, choosing to either paint elephant silhouettes on canvas with acrylics or create elephant fridge magnets with diamond art.

Throughout the session, Participants remained focused, calm and very satisfied with their creations, many expressing joy and a sense of achievement. One Participant even stayed an extra hour to complete a canvas painting as a special gift.

The session was a wonderful opportunity for Participants to experience the benefits of mindful art, including stress reduction, enhanced focus, emotional expression, increased relaxation and a sense of accomplishment.

A big thank you to Sue and George from the DES team, and Casey and Lara from the Workforce Australia – Transition to Work team for organising and supporting this relaxing event for our Participants!

Last weekend, Disability Employment Services Participant (DES), Joseph played his 100th footy game for the Wembley Magpies Football Club!

Jo’s Disability Employment Consultant, Sherrilee, was invited to watch the occasion, which was also the semi-finals for the team. Although Wembley didn’t find the win, Joe had a stand out game with 3 goals!

The stormy weather held off for the entire game, giving Joe the special moment of running through his banner in his number 12 guernsey, and finishing the match lifted onto the shoulders of his teammates!

Joe loves his sports, often taking part in Down Syndrome Australia events like this one, as well as swimming and the HBF Run for a Reason.

You might remember Joseph from earlier this year when he was crowned a finalist in the Disability Employment Australia Annual Awards. Sherrilee found this day just as special, celebrating the milestone alongside Joe.

“Joseph’s family and I stood side by side cheering him on and his team mates, and to say I was lucky to be a part of this is an understatement.”

Congratulations on this big milestone Joe!

Tyrhys joined our Disability Employment Service three years ago, facing multiple personal barriers, including living with cerebral palsy, homelessness, family and relationship breakdowns, and exposure to drug and alcohol use. Without a phone, staying in contact was difficult, but Disability Employment Consultant Ari provided the consistent support Tyrhys needed to keep working toward his employment goals.

After building trust and a safe space within the Status Mirrabooka office with Ari, Tyrhys began to consistently attend fortnightly appointments, soon after getting in contact with BlueSky Mind Studio for NDIS support. From here, the team helped Tyrhys submit a job application for a First Nations Yarn Opportunity through NDIS—an incredible milestone that reflects how far Tyrhys has come.

We’re thrilled to share that Tyrhys got the job, which will be his very first paid role! With Ari’s guidance during his induction, he received extra support to settle in. He’ll be sharing his lived experience and making a real difference through NDIS for Indigenous communities, proudly representing his culture.

Disability Employment Services (DES) Participant David is on the road to recovery, thanks to the selfless support of our Disability Employment Consultant, Ruby.

Over the past 12 months, Ruby has been working with David through DES. Recently, David began experiencing a significant decline in his memory, frequently forgetting appointments, becoming disoriented mid-conversation, and struggling to remember basic tasks like using his phone.

Initially, support for David was hard to come by, with his GP reassuring him there was nothing to worry about. However, as David’s symptoms started to increase, Ruby reached out directly to his doctor via email to advocate for a deeper medical investigation. After a follow-up, David was finally booked in for a cognitive assessment.

Unfortunately, the process was far from smooth. When David received a referral for specialist assessment, it contained minimal information, and he was placed on a 12-month waitlist, a timeline that was simply not an option.

While speaking with David, Ruby discovered that his sister, who lived nearby and had a nursing background, could be a valuable support. Recognising the urgency, and with David’s consent, Ruby reached out. His sister quickly arranged a same-day GP appointment, which led to the discovery of two underlying health conditions.

While the diagnoses are serious, the intervention came just in time. David is now on the pathway toward a formal diagnosis and his sister is actively involved in coordinating his care, treatment and support.

Without intervention, David’s condition could have remained undiagnosed and untreated. Thanks to Ruby’s persistent advocacy, collaboration, and compassionate action, David now has critical medical oversight and family support in place!

David’s story powerfully demonstrates the vital role of proactive support and persistence in our work. It highlights how advocacy can change, and in some cases, save lives.